Air moistener



July 9, 1929. E; A A A 1.720.241

AIR MOISTENER Filed Dec. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Shem l 3 l mmltoz c. E.SALLADA AIR MOISTENER Filed Dec. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet CE 5 5111a riaPatented July 9, 1929.

CLARENCE E. SALLADA, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AIR MOISTENER.

Application filed December 14, 1927.

This invention relates to means tor imparting umisture to the hot aircirculating from a hot-air turi'iace for heating lmildings. It is wellknown that the heated currents sent through a building from a hot-airIturnace are very dry and tend to cause shrinkage of woodwork withconsequent loosening of the joints in jlurniiture and the wooden trim ofbuildings and many attempts have been made to impart moisture to theseheated currents so as to overcome the stated shrinking and jointloosening. The object oi the present invention is to provide a. simplemcchanisn'i which may be readily installed in any hot-air furnace and inwhich :ll floats and similar actuating elements will be eliminated sothat the operation of the device will be certain at all times. and afurther object ot the invention is to provide a, mechanism which will besimple inconstruction withoutany loss oi? cil'icicnc v. These statedobjects. and other objects which will im-identally appear in the courseoi? the following description, are attained in such an apparatus as isillustrated in the accom mnying drawings. and the invention resides incertain novel features which will be. particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly broken away. of the upper portion 01 ahot-air "turnace having my improved air moistener installed therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section thro l the air n'ioistener;

I) is a transverse section on. the line a oi" Fig. I

Fin. 4 is a trout end elevation of the receiving cup attached to theevaporating pan or trough, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation of a portion of the cut-ott valv,and its mount- 1" ig. (l is an enlarged section of the cut-off valve.

In the drawings. the reference numeral 1 indicates the outer casing orshell of a hot-air turn ace having the usual. openings 2 through itscrown to receive the ends 01 the hot-air circulating fines, while thereference numeral 3 indicates a portion of the tire-box of the tn rnace.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided an evaporatingpan or trough 4: which is pret'erably constructed of sheet metal and ismounted in the crown of the fur- Serial No. 240,039.

nace immediately over the top of the firebox, as shown in Fig. 1. Tosupport the pan, there is provided a telescopic beam consisting of atube 5 and a rod 6 slidably titted in the tube, the telescopicconstruction of this supporting beam 1 )ermitting it to be adjusted tothe diameter of the furnace crown so that the device may be set in afurnace of any size. The front end of the tube 5 is externally threadedso that it may be engaged in an intern ally threaded socket or boss 7upon a head 8 which head is a casting having a vertically exteiu lingslot 9 through its lower portion for a. purpose which will presentlyappear. Secured by screws 10 or other fasteners to the rim of the h ad 8is the outer end of a cylindrical casing 11 which extends through anopening cut therefor in the side of the turnace shell, and to the top ofthis casing is secured an angle bracket 12 which is also secured, to thefurnace shell. as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2. The outeror rear end of the rod 6 extends through a narrow slot 13 formed in theshell of the furnace dian'ietrically opposite the opening which receivesthe casing 11, and upon the outer side of the shell is secured a.guiding and holding plate 1st which has its central portion longitud inally offset and formed with a slot 15 which receives the end of the rod6. The end of the rod 6 engaged in an opening provided therefor in ametallic strap 16 which is disposed within the otlset portion of theholding and guiding plate 1-14. and between the same and the side ofthe. furnace so that, if this strap be moved longitudinally, the end otthe rod ti wi il be corresponding adjusted and the supporting beam thusreadily brought into a level position. A'lter the supporting beam hasbeen properly set, the upper end of the strap 16 bent over the upper endof the plate 14. as shown at 17 in Fig. 2. so that the parts will be setin the position to which they have been adjusted.

On the outer side of the head 8 and preferably alined with the boss 7 isan outer boss 18 having an opening 19 therein to receive a stud 20whereby to support theinflow-controlling device. the stud being securedin the opening by a set screw 21 in an obvious manner. The stud 20 isformed on a block 22 which has a top threaded portion whereby it may beengaged in the lower end of a crown E3 having a nipple 24: on its upperside to receive the e-nd ot' a water teed pipe 25, the end of said. pipebeing secured in the nipple tocommunicate with a radial passage 29.

shapedto form a seat for a needle valve 30.

threaded in the block and projecting from the.

front ofthe same, a packing box or gland 31 being mounted around thestem of. said valve, as shown in Fig. 2,,to prevent leakage. From thecross passage 29, an outlet passage 32 extends. downwardly through theblock or cast- 7 ing 22. Resting upon said block 22 within the crown 23is a screen and above said screen filteringmaterial 3% is placed withinthe crown to lill.the same.

The e aporating pan or trough at is provided in its front end near itsbottom with a port through which the water may pass into the pan andsecured to the front end of the pan is a receivingcup '36 which. is castand isformed with an opening,37 in its top to admit-thewater. As shownin Figs. i and 5, this receiving cup somewhat narrow and, as shown inFig. 2, its bottom is preferably flush with the lower side'of theport 35so that the water delivered into the cup will be directed atonce intothe evaporatingpan. The cup is provided with lateral flanges 38throughwhich screws,,rivets orother fasteners are inserted tose-cure the sameto the front end of the panand, from. the topof the. cup fastening arms39 diverge to be secured to the front endjot the pan and reinforcethGBftDlG so that any .tendencyof the end of: the pan tobucklewill beresisted. The cup is provided with a drain opening in its bottom norvmally closedby a plug 40 andin its front end immediately. adjacent itstop is formed with:

tached to the sides-of the cup adjacentthe top thereofand spanning theinlet'opening 37 is a yoke-42wh1ch carries a cupe li-i. As shown mostclearly 11] Fig. 2, this cup 43 1s a cylindrical member, preferably ofsheet copper, having an open upper endgand having a bot.

tom portion restingupon the. yoke 42 and provlded centrally with :anopeningthrough which passes a nipple- 41, said nipple alsopassingthroughan alined opening in the .top of the yOkG tIDClIbQlIlgBXtGYDflllYthreaded to recelve a securmg nut 45. The nipple 4 is formed as anintegral part of a T-fitting having its head 46 extending diametricallywithin the cup 43 and adapted to rest upon the bottom of the cup, agasket 47 being inter posed between the head -l6 and the bottom of thecup to prevent leakage in an obvious manner. \Vhen the nut is turnedhome against the yoke 42, obviously the cup .413 will be clamped uponthe yoke. The head portion of the T-litti-ng is provided on its upperside with an annular rim 4-8 within which is seated a washer or gasket49, and this washer, which may. be of any approved .form or material, isrcmovably held in its seat by a cap 50 having a depending resilient rim51 formed with a bead 52 adapted to engage in. an annular groove formedin the outer surface of the rim 4L8, is clearly shown in Fig. 6. Itshould be understood, however, that a needle valve may be substitutedfor the washer, if desired. Below the head 52, the rim of the cap isspread, asshewn at 54, whereby it may easily .ride over the rim 48 andspring. into engagethe operation. of the apparatus. Asshown in Fig. 2,the nipple 32 is provided with an external annular rib 56 which titswithin the upper. portion of the cup l3 an d thereby serves to guidesaid cup and maintainit in a vertical position when it moves with theevaporating pan and the receiving cup as the mech anism operates in themanner hereinafter set forth.

Asbefore stated, the evaporating pan is formed of sheet metal anddesired rigidity maybe imparted tothe .top of the same by formingre-entrant flanges 57 along the edges of its sides, asshown most clearlyin Fig. 3. Fitted upon the supporting beam immediately adjacent theinner end of the casing 11 is a bracketincluding a central eye orbodyportion 58 having a set screw 59 mounted therein whereby. it may besecured; upon the tube 5,.and ayoke 60 which spans the top of theevaporating pan and has its terminal portions disposed at. the outeropposite sides of the same to receive a fulcrum pin or rod 61 whichpasses through said terminals and the 1 sides of the pan. andmaybesecured by cotter pins 62 orother preferred means. Spaced inwardly fromthecye 58, a second eye or bracket 63 encircles the tube 5 and issecured thereto by aset screw 64. Theeye 63 is provided on its underside with lugs or ears (35 which depend within the top of theevaporating pan and receive a cross pin 66, as shown. Mounted upon thepin. 66 between the lugs is anangle bracket or fitting 67 having onetubular arm or branch presented to the rear end of the pan and anothertubular arm or branch presented downwardly and forwardly. A supportingpin or stud 68 is secured in the rearwardly presented branch and extendsthrough an opening provided therefor in the rear end of the pan while acounter-balance rod 69 is secured in the downwardly and forwardlypresented arm and is equipped at its free end with a counter-weight 70,as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

It is thought the operation will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. The normal working position of the parts shown in Fig. 2, thecut-off valve, consisting of the washer l9 and the parts associatedtherewith, being opened or spaced away from its seat which is defined bythe end of the outlet nipple 32 so that water may flow into thereceiving cup and thence pass into the evaporating pan. In installingthe apparatus, the needle valve 30 is set so that the vater will flow atthe rate which judgment and experience may show to be best adapted forsuccessful use in a furnace of the size in which the device is beinginstalled. The ater will ten d to accumulate in the evaporating pan andnormally the weight of the re ceiving cup and the front end of the pantogether with the weight of the water therein and the leverage exertedby the counterbalance arm 69 and the counter-weight will hold the pan inthe position shown in Fig. 2. Should the water continue to accumulate inthe pan, it will reach the back of the pan and eventually it willovercome the leverage exerted by the counterbalance and the rear end ofthe pan will move downwardly, the pan rocking about the fulcrum rod 61in an obvious 'manner and this movement will carry the receiving cup andthe cut-oft valve upwardly so that the washer 49 will seat against thelower end of the nipple 32 and cut off the further flow of water,itbeing noted, particularly npon reference to Fig. 1, that the fulcrum61 of the pan is nearer the front end of the same than the back endthereof so that the back end of the pan tends to over-balance its frontend. As the water evaporates, eventually, the leverage exerted by thecounter-weight will prevail and the counterweight will move downwardlyso that the pin or stud 68 will swing upwardly and lift the rear end ofthe evaporating pan thereby restoring the parts to the position shown inFig. 2. The rate at which the water is flowing may be observed throughthe open space within the yoke 42 below the outlet nipple ll of thecut-off valve and the needle valve 30 should be set so that the waterwill merely drip from said nipple. Ordinarily, the ratio between thefeeding of the water and the evaporation of the same will be constantand a constant supply of vapor will be fed to the hot air currentspassing out through the buildin Should the fire fail without the factbeing noticed, the weight of the accumulated water will serve to cut offthe further flow in the manner previously described so that floodingwill be avoided but, if, for any reason, there should be an excessivetICClllIllllillZlOIl of water, the overflow nozzle 41 will permit thesame to escape without causing any serious damage. The water passinginto the evaporating pan will be filtered and cleaned in its passagethrough the filtering-material 3st and the screen 33 so that ordinarilyit will be free of foreign matter and there will be no sediment in theevaporating pan or the receiving cup. Should there be any sediment,however, and it should be necessary to clean out the pan or the cup,this may be easily accomplished by removing the" drain plug sit) and,flushing the pan and the cup. The water will pass through the severalpassages in the block 22 in an obvious manner and, striking upon thewasher 49, will be spread to escape over the top and sides of the sameand will find an outlet through the diametric passage in the head orbody 46 of the T-fitting and then escape through the depending nipple 41thereof. If it should be necessary to repair or renew any of the partsof the cut-off valve, the flow of water from the main supply pipe ischecked by closing the usual cut-ofl' valve provided therein, and thecut-oft valve with the cup .13 may be removed by withdrawing the pivotscrews which attach the yoke 42 to the receiving cup 36, the regulatingvalve and filter remaining in place upon the head 8. If it be desired toinspect or renew or repair the filtering material or the regulatingvalve 30, removal of the set screw 21 will permit the block 22 with theparts mounted thereon to be removed without necessitating removal ofother parts. The apparatus is very simple in construction, compact inarrangement and certain in operaton.

It will be noted that in my present apparatus there are no floatsemployed. These floats have been heretofore used and were con.- nectedwith the cut-off valve so as to be ac tuated by the level of the waterin the evaporating pan but they were uncertain in operation because theywere apt to get out of order and any slight deposit upon the fulcrum ofthe float or any of the elements connected therewith would interferewith the successful action. In my present apparatus, the space which isoccupied by the float in the arrangements heretofore generally employedis available for the storage of the water and the weight of the wateritself operates to rock the evaporating pan so that the pan serves as alever to raise and lower the cut-ofi' valve and thereby automaticallycontrol the inflow of the water to be evaporated.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an air-moistening apparatus, the

combination of supporting-means, an evaporating pan mounted on thesupportingorating pan mounted on the supporting means for rockingmovement, means for supplying water to the pan through the front endthereof, a cut-elf valve carried by the front end of the pan, and acounterweighted arm mounted adjacent the rear end of the pan and engagedwith the rear end:

of the pan the weighted end of the arm extending forwardly within thepan.

3. In an air-moistening apparatus, the combination of a supporting beam,means whereby said beam may be secured in the shell of a furnace, abracket secured on said beam, an evaporating pan pivotally carried bysaid bracket, a water-supplying element mounted adjacent-the front endof the pan, a cut-off valve-carried by the frontend of the pan andmovable therewith to permit or stop flow fromsaid element, and acounterbalance within the pan rockingly supported on the beam andengaged with the rear end of the pan.

4t. In an air-moistening apparatus, the combination of a supportingbeam,means whereby said beam may be secured within the top of afurnace shell,an evaporating pan pivotally carried by said beam, a watersupplyingelement mounted adjacent the front end of thepan, a cut-off valvecarried by the front endof the pan to be moved thereby toward and fromsaid: supply element, a bracket secured on the supporting beam adjacentthe rear end of the pan, an anglemember pivoted inthe lower portion ofsaid bracket, a pin. extending rearwardly from said angle -me1nber andengaged through the rear end of the pan, and acounter-weight engaged insaidangle member and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom.

5.111 air-moistening apparatus, the combination of a tubular casing,means for securing said casing in one side of a furnace shell, a headsecuredin the outerend of said casing, a supporting beam secured atoneend to saidhead and at its opposite end in the shellof the furnace, anevaporat ing pan pivotally supported on said beam and having its frontend disposed within the casing, a receiving cup secured upon the frontend of the pan and extending through said. head, a mechanism secured tothe head above the receiving cup for permitting and regulating inflow ofwater, and a cut-off valve carried by the receiving cupand cooperatingwith said mechanism.

6. In an air-moistening apparatus, the combination of a supporting meansincluding a head having an opening through its lower portion, anevaporating pan mounted for rocking movement upon said supporting means,a receiving cup secured upon the front end of the pan and extendingthrough theopening in said head,said receiving cup having aninletopening through its top and the front end of the pan having a port therethrough at the bottom of the receiving cup, a water supplying andregulating device mounted'upon the head above the cup and havingadepending outlet nipple, a yoke pivotally mounted upon the receivingcup adjacent the top of the same, a retaining cup *arried by said yoke,and a T-fitting having a head within said retaining cup carrying awasher adapted to seat against the lower end of said outlet nipple andhaving a depending nipple to direct water through the inlet opening ofthe receiving cup.

7. In an 'air-moistening apparatus, the combination of supporting meansincluding a head having an opening through its lower portion and havingan external boss above said'opening, an evaporating pan mounted forrocking movement upon the supporting means, a receiving cup secured uponthe front end of the pan and extending through the openingin the head, ablock secured in the boss'on thehead and having water passagestherethrough, a regulating valve mounted inone of said passages, acut-off valve carried by the receiving 'cupand-inovable therewith towardand from the outlet end ofsaid passages, and a filtering chamber on theupper side of said block.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signatnre,

CLARENCE E. 'SALLADA. [L. s]

